The other night I happened to stumble across the movie Mannequin while watching television. I could go on professing the greatness that is Mannequin but there was one thing that stood out to me during this viewing. Mannequin and Toy Story 3 are essentially the same movie. In essence you have inanimate objects coming to life and avoiding the same near death by way of a trash compactor.
My next thought after this was, “Holy shit isn’t the guy who wrote Toy Story 3 writing Star Wars Episode VI?” Yes, Michael Arndt will be penning the screenplay for the next Star Wars installment. So if he essential wrote a remake of Mannequin and turned it into an Oscar winning screenplay, what is he going to do with Episode VII?
I’ll admit, this thought has repeatedly elicited one thought on the future of the Star Wars franchise. I have a bad feeling about this. Well maybe not the entire franchise, just the stories of Episodes 7, 8, and 9. I’m much more excited for the potential of Star Wars expanded universe films at this point.
But that’s enough about me and my fears. Let’s get back to Michael Arndt. Since he was willing to take his climactic moment in Toy Story 3 from an Andrew McCarthy movie perhaps he will be inclined to do the same with Episode VII?
He could have Episode VII picks up with a crumbling Imperial Empire’s leadership retreated to one of their last strongholds of control, say the capital planet of Coruscant. Enter a meeting of Imperial Officer set to determine a proper course to regain control of the Universe. After said meeting, two young officers devise a plan of action to bring the Imperial Alliance back to its glory days and put themselves in a position of power. They decide that the key to regaining and keeping control is installing a leader that instills fear, much like Darth Vader and the Emperor did.
After much though and conversation, they realize that no one within the Imperial leadership could fill such a void. If they couldn’t find someone to replace Lord Vader, perhaps they could just bring Lord Vader back from the dead. Jackpot. There is your compelling story. Episode VII just became Weekend at Bernie’s.
Imagine three movies of these two young Imperial Officers reestablishing the Imperial Empire just by carrying around an empty Darth Vader suit. The parallel story line could follow Luke, Leia, and Han hearing the persistent rumors of the return of Darth Vader and there battles with a rejuvenated Imperial Empire.
Obi Wan Kenobi famously said, “You can’t win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.” Perhaps instead it will be Darth Vader who becomes more powerful after death. After all, Star Wars is the story of Anikan Skywalker. It wouldn’t be right making the last three stories about anyone else.
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